Carlson Rezidor’s Radisson Blu brand is expanding its footprint in Eastern Europe and in Africa, with new deals signed for hotels in Russia, Romania and the Cape Verde islands.
Russia
Through a partnership with Russian holding company Agrocom Group, Carlson Rezidor will open the Radisson Blu Hotel, Rostov-on-Don, early next year, well in advance of the 2018 FIFA World Cup kickoff. The hotel will have 81 guestrooms with the BluPrint interior design, and will be managed and operated by The Rezidor Hotel Group.
“We are delighted to bring a new Radisson Blu Hotel to Rostov-on-Don and introduce our first BluPrint design in Russia,” Elie Younes, EVP & CDO, said in a statement. “Rostov is southern Russia’s largest and most cosmopolitan city, as well as an important industrial center and thus a perfect destination.”
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is already represented by six properties in Sochi, and has 37 hotels with more than 10,300 rooms in operation and under development across Russia.
Romania
Carlson Rezidor is slated to get its third Romanian hotel in Spring 2018 through a partnership with Tresor Com SRL. The 105-guestroom hotel in Brașov will join the Radisson Blu Hotel, Bucharest (opened since 2008) and the Park Inn by Radisson Bucharest Hotel & Residence (opened since 2015).
“The new Radisson Blu hotel in Brașov, Romania is another strategic addition in Eastern Europe, where we plan to add Radisson Blu in key capital cities and popular tourist destinations,” Younes said. “With another Radisson Blu Hotel and a Park Inn by Radisson Residence in Bucharest, we are offering our guests a complete choice of business and leisure venues in Romania.”
“The Radisson Blu Brasov will be the first international hotel brand from the city and a milestone in the service excellence for the local hotel market,” said project consultant Mircea Draghici of EST Hospitality. “It could be the turning point for the future development of the local hotel market.”
Africa
The Rezidor Hotel Group is poised to open its first resort on the Cape Verde island of Sal through a partnership with East-West SA, a multi-hotel construction and management company established in France and Cape Verde. The Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Sal will have 240 guest rooms when it opens in the third quarter of 2019.
The beach resort—designed by DSA Architects—will be located on the popular beach destination of Santa Maria. Rezidor operates and and has developed some 60 resorts with 14,000 rooms.
Cape Verde is a country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean. In recent years, economic growth is averaging 6 percent as well as major infrastructure improvements including the construction of three international airports. The island is expected to have received more than 650,000 tourists in 2016, according to the Central Tourist Authority.
“We have a clear Radisson Blu resort development strategy for Africa,” Andrew McLachlan, SVP business development at Carlson Rezidor, said. “In 2015, two Radisson Blu Resorts in Mauritius were added to our portfolio: Radisson Blu Azuri Resort & Spa, Mauritius and Radisson Blu Poste Lafayette Resort and Spa, Mauritius. The addition of the Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Sal will greatly complement our growing resort portfolio in the best beach locations in the fastest growing resort destination in Africa.”
Radisson Blu is the largest upper upscale hotel brand in Europe, which is the main feeding market of Cape Verde.